


Dandelion fluff

by deinde_prandium



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-13 16:37:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14116497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deinde_prandium/pseuds/deinde_prandium
Summary: Various drabbles and one-shots that I have posted via tumblr. Mostly Modern AU, but with some canon-friendly pieces as well. Almost entirely Everlark, but there is a Gadge piece as well. As the title suggests, expect a lot of fluff.





	1. Cold Feet

The moonlight streams through the open window, casting enough light on the bed to ensure I don’t need to turn on the light when I enter the room. Although the covers are bunched up in a way that prevents me from getting a good look, the light snores I hear are as good an indication as any that my husband is sound asleep. Good. Peeta doesn’t need to know how long I’ve been up.

I sneak into the master bath and brush my teeth as quickly and quietly as I can, before tiptoeing my way to the bed. I carefully lift up the duvet and slip under the covers. Peeta sleeps with his back to me. I move to wrap my arms around him, cocooning him with my whole body.  _He’s so warm_ , I think to myself with a smile. Lying here under the covers, you’d never know that it’s still snowing out.

Instinctively, I snuggle in closer. But just as I move to tuck my toes under Peeta’s thigh-

“Ahhh! Fuck, that’s cold!” Peeta screams with a jolt. I grab his arm in an effort to keep him from falling out of bed.

I knew I should have put socks on first.

“Sorry, love,” I say apologetically. “It’s still really cold out, and the window’s open…just go back to sleep, okay?”

“Are you just getting to bed now? What time is it?” Bleary eyed, Peeta fumbles for the glasses on his nightstand so he can get a good look at the clock radio he insists on keeping on the dresser across from us. “1:37? Really?”

“It’s not that late,” I argue. “You make it sound like I’ve just snuck home after staying out until last call.”

“It’s late enough for people like us…you know, the kind that never get any sleep because they have two kids and jobs that require them to get up at dawn,” he points out with a smirk.

“Says you.”

“Says me. What were you doing up so late, anyway?”

“Nothing,” I say, grabbing his arm and pulling it around me so that I’m the little spoon. Hopefully this way he won’t catch the look on my face as I answer his question.

Peeta, however, is too sharp to fall for my ruse. Leaning in close, he speaks in a low whisper. “Katniss…have you been reading fan fiction again?”

Shit.

“No…?” I half say, half ask in a manner that makes it 100 percent clear that that’s exactly what I was doing.

He chuckles. “You know, you don’t have to be embarrassed about it. It’s okay.”

I squirm in his arms. “Mmhmm.” There’s not much else I can say - he might be telling the truth, but that doesn’t mean I don’t find it mildly mortifying that I’ve been caught.

Peeta’s breath tickles my neck as he teases, “You were reading the smutty kind, weren’t you?”

I can feel my ears warming. In retaliation, I swat at his hand. “Shut up.”

“Oh, you were!”

“Good  _night_ , Peeta,” I say with finality, pulling the covers up so that the duvet covers my face. Of course, in the process I end up exposing our bare feet to the cold air, but I refuse to make a move to adjust the blanket a second time.

Peeta just laughs lightly, rubbing his feet against mine to keep them warm. Enveloping me in his arms, he plants a kiss in my hair. “Good night, Katniss. I love you.”

I can’t help but smile. “I love you too.”

“Even when you wake me up with freezing feet in the middle of the night after you’ve stayed up too late reading fanfic.”

“Shut up.”


	2. Christmas lights

“Katniss. Katniss? Katniss!” Peeta tries fruitlessly to catch the attention of his girlfriend, who is staring at the web of Christmas lights in her hands as if untangling them would unlock all the secrets of the universe. He scans the rest of the room, which looks like an explosion of fake snow, tinsel, and ribbon. He even sees a tiny Christmas tree - a real one - sitting on top of their newly built IKEA dining table. “What is going on in here?”

“Huh?” Katniss looks up, startled. “Oh. I’m, um…I’m decorating.”

“I…can see that,” he replies, his eyebrow raised in skepticism. “What I don’t quite understand is why.”

“Why not?” she challenges. “We’ve only got like, ten more days, right?”

“Yeah, but we’re not even fully unpacked yet. Besides, you hate Christmas.”

“Do not.”

“Oh really? Then why do you complain every time I start putting stuff up in the bakery?”

Katniss rolls her eyes. “Because,” she counters, “you barely wait for the trick-or-treaters to leave the shop before you start ripping the skeletons off the walls and replacing them with wreaths! Everyone knows that the Christmas season doesn’t start until after American Thanksgiving.”

“Yes, well, that’s all well and good in your native land, but this is Canada,” Peeta corrects teasingly. “Anyway, what does it matter? You never decorated your place before, before or after American Thanksgiving.”

Katniss returns her gaze to the Christmas lights - which, if possible, look more tangled than ever. “I know,” she says quietly. “But it’s our first holiday here. Together. In  _our_  place, not just mine. I know how much you love this time of year, so I wanted it to be special. You know, make our own Christmas memories.”

Despite the havoc she has managed to wreak in their small living space, the idea that Katniss is doing all of this just for him makes Peeta’s heart swell. He’s pretty certain that he could not love this woman any more if he tried.

Peeta sweeps her up into a hug. “I don’t need all this to make the holidays feel special, you know. They’re special because I’m with you. But,” he adds, “since you’ve gotten started, why don’t I make some hot chocolate and we can tackle these Christmas lights together?”

“Together?”

“Together.” He gives her a soft kiss before whispering in her ear, “And if you’re very good, we can get a jump on making those Christmas memories…starting in the bedroom.”

Katniss smiles back. “I’ll allow it.”


	3. The Red Sweater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for gentlemama (THG secret snowflake). Inspired by the famous red sweater from MJ2 ;)

Peeta searches the floor for his red sweater, annoyed that it’s not in the same place he thought he'd left it. Then again, he thinks, given the manner in which he undressed last night, it could really be anywhere. He wanders down the hall, following the discarded items of clothing like a bird following a path of breadcrumbs. “Katniss,” he calls out, “have you seen my…?”

The question dies on his lips as he finds her leaning over the kitchen counter, humming to herself as she slices an apple. The hem of her -no, his- sweater barely covers the curve of her ass, and for a moment Peeta forgets his own name, let alone why he walked into the kitchen in the first place.

Feeling his gaze on her, Katniss whips around, embarrassed. “I got hungry,” she confesses.

Hungry, Peeta thinks, is exactly how he’s feeling in that moment as well. Hefting her over his shoulder, he grabs the plate of sliced apples with his free hand and charges back toward the bedroom. “Me, too,“ he says. “Me, too.”


	4. Rainy day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For gentlemama (THG secret snowflake). Inspired by the growing together scene from MJ2.

It was going to be a good day; she had it all planned. 

She would take him out to the lake, their last chance before winter set in. It was already too cold to swim, but there was a spot on the rocks that she knew was perfect for him to sit and sketch the changing fall colors. On the way back, they would pass by a little grove of apple trees and grab a snack to go with whatever treats he was sure to bring along. 

It would be perfect...or so she thought, before she threw the door open to find the rain coming down in sheets, soaking Victor's Village.

"It's okay," he said, giving her a smile so genuinely sweet that it instantly quelled her rising ire. "We can just...sit here. Watch the rain. Go jump in the puddles after," he added with a chuckle. 

So they plopped down in front of the open door, previous plans forgotten, and spent the afternoon watching the rain fall. 

(Or at least, he did. She spent the afternoon watching him, instead.) 

And it was, in fact, a very good day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for laurabaptista. Prompt: "Why does anyone have to be naked?"

“Why does anyone have to be naked?”

“Katniss, it’s a life drawing class. The whole point is for the students to develop an understanding of the human form.”

“Let me amend my previous question, then,” Katniss huffed, pointing her beer bottle accusingly. “Why do  _you_  have to be naked?”

“Because he owes me, Brainless,” Johanna answered. “My model dropped out last minute, and I need a replacement.”

“So you do it,” Katniss countered. “You love being naked.”

“True. But I run the class, and I can’t exactly pose if I’m supposed to be circulating around the room helping the students learn how to shade ass cheeks properly.” Jo shrugged. “Besides, we’ve already had female models for three weeks in a row. I need to change things up.”

“So you decided to ask my boyfriend?”

Peeta ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. “To be fair,” he began, “it’s not like I was the first person she called…”

“Yeah,” Jo confirmed. “I wanted to ask Finnick…I had this whole Poseidon concept mapped out and everything. But he’s already got family plans with Annie and Nicky.”

Katniss paled. “Finnick? But…but he’s married! He’s got a kid and everything!”

Johanna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, so? He’s also the world’s biggest exhibitionist. Granted, he’s got a right to be proud of his junk, but don’t tell him I said that. No need to feed his ego.”

“Finnick’s posed for Johanna’s class plenty of times,” Peeta chimed in. “Annie’s totally cool with it. You can ask her if you want.”

Jo polished off the rest of her vodka tonic and brought her glass down with a  _thunk_. “Look. Are you going to let Peeta off the leash, or what? Because he’s obviously not going to say yes if you don’t agree - even if he totally owes me for saving his ass last semester,” she added, sending a pointed look in Peeta’s direction. “So if you’re going to be all Prudy McPrudeface about three hours of nude modelling, just say so now so I can spend the rest of my evening looking for someone else.”

Katniss glared at Johanna, prompting Peeta to step in. “Why don’t you give us a minute alone, Jo?” He fished out a bill and offered it to her. “I’m buying if you want a refill.”

Jo shrugged and slipped out of the booth, money in hand. “Fine by me. Have a nice chat, lovebirds.”

Peeta turned to his girlfriend, who now seemed intently focused on peeling back the label on her beer bottle. “Katniss, look at me,” he implored.

“Do you think I’m a prude for not being excited about you being naked in front of all those people?” she asked quietly.

Peeta shook his head. “No, of course not. I mean, I’m not exactly surprised-”

Katniss whipped her head up, her eyes flashing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing bad, I promise. You’re just so…pure,” he said carefully.

“I am not! How is that even possible, since we’ve…you know…” she trailed off.

Peeta stifled a chuckle. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. To me, you’re perfect. But I know how private you are. This isn’t something you would personally feel comfortable doing, and that’s okay. But for me…I don’t really care. I’m just giving them something to draw for a couple hours.”

“I get that. It’s just…I guess I’m not all that excited about sharing you,” Katniss admitted.

“You won’t be,” he assured her. “How do I say this without sounding weird? All they get from me is a look at my skin. But you? You get everything. For as long as you’ll have me.”

The corners of Katniss’ lips turned ever so slightly upward. “Everything?” she asked, her eyes dancing.

Peeta leaned in. “Every look,” he murmured in her ear, reveling in the shiver he elicited. “Every touch. Every taste. For you, and no one else.”

“Well, if you put it that way…I guess I’ll allow it,” she whispered back, before pulling him in for a kiss.

It wasn’t long before they were interrupted by the sound of Johanna stomping back toward their table. “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” she complained. “Can’t you two make it ten minutes without going at it like bunnies? You’re worse than Finn and Annie.”

Katniss gave her the finger. “Don’t make me change my mind, Mason.”

“Ooh, you got her to agree?” Jo asked happily. “Never mind then, carry on. I will see you tomorrow, Mellark.” Before skipping back toward the bar, she added, “Oh, and Brainless? Feel free to sit in on the class if you want.”

Now it was Peeta’s turn to look uncomfortable. “That may not actually be the best idea.”

Katniss raised a brow at him. “And why is that?”

“Because it will be incredibly difficult for me to pose naked with you in the room. All I’d be able to think about is how much I’d want you naked, too. Alone, of course,” he qualified.

“Of course,” she echoed. She stood up, tugging on Peeta’s hand to pull him out of the booth. “Then I guess we’ll just have to go back to my place and do our own, one-on-one life drawing class.” She smirked at him. “If you’re lucky, you might even be able to convince me to be your model.”

Peeta grinned. “Lead the way.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for ellembee. Prompt: "Why are you/we whispering?"

“Why are you whispering?”

Peeta pauses in his search to glance at his best friend. “Because we’re in a library,” he reminds her. “You’re supposed to be quiet.”

“I’m aware of where we are, thank you very much. But whispering seems kind of pointless, considering that I haven’t seen anyone in this section for at least an hour. Unless you count that pair of undergrads that were clearly only looking for a place to make out.”

Peeta purposefully ignores the latter part of Katniss’ comment, not willing to risk letting slip how much he has fantasized about taking her to this exact spot for that exact purpose. “I’m almost done, I promise,” he tells her. “I just need to check out this one last reference…”

Katniss leans against the shelf, arms crossed. “You know, I only came with you because you’ve been holed up here all week searching for that damn journal, and I was beginning to worry this place would swallow you up. And now look at us. It’s midnight, we’re still stuck on the 12th floor of the second biggest library in all of Panem, and you won’t even let me help you look so that we can get out of here.”

He stops short at her words. “Wait, did you say midnight? Shit, we gotta-”

As if on cue, the lights go out.

Katniss lets out a groan. “Peeta…”

“Hold that thought,” he says. Peeta stumbles through the darkness, his hand skimming the book spines along the shelf for guidance. He sighs in relief when he fingers alight on the timer at the end of the row. He twists the dial as far as he can to the right, and the lights come back on.

“Okay, I’m back. Sorry about that,” he says sheepishly.

“You’re about to be sorry about more than just the light,” she chides. “The library just closed, didn’t  it?”

“I, um, well. Yes.”

“And we’re locked in.”

“Possibly. Kind of.”

“What do you mean, possibly?”

Peeta rubs the back of his neck, unsure if his answer will help or hurt the situation. “Well, this has actually happened to me before….”

Katniss laughs humorlessly. “Of course it has.”

“Yeah. Anyway, so…they lock access to the stacks at midnight, but they usually have a security guard do rounds. So if we can figure out how to get their attention, they’ll let us out. We just have to find our way through this maze toward a stairwell or something.”

“Well then, let’s go.”

Peeta sighs inwardly as he leads them through what feels like a labyrinth of dusty, dimly lit shelves. Every few minutes they find themselves in darkness, but Peeta manages to keep an eye on the location of the nearest light switch. It seems the least he can do to patch things up with Katniss, especially since she’s sacrificed the start of her weekend to keep him company while he does his research.

Katniss, however, doesn’t seem to show any willingness to cut him any slack.  "Why do historians have to be so annoying about keeping paper copies of everything, anyway?“ she grumbles. “In the engineering faculty, we-”

“Yeah yeah, I know. Everything is digitized, no one uses engineering library for actual research, all you do is make paper airplanes that stick to the ceiling. You’ve told me this at least a million times,” he says tiredly.

“And seriously, why are you still whispering? Shouldn’t we be yelling for help instead of lowering our voices out of concern for the nonexistent patrons occupying this space?”

Annoyed, Peeta stops in his tracks and turns to face her. “Okay, Everdeen. I get that you’re mad that we’re trapped up here. It’s my fault, and I apologize. Again. But what’s really going on here? I feel like this is a whole new level of snark, even for you.”

Katniss sighs, looking down at her hands. “I’m sorry, Peeta,” she says. “It’s just…have you noticed that this place has no windows? I didn’t want to say anything because I thought we wouldn’t be here that long and I figured I could hold out, because you know, I’ve barely seen you all week and I’ve missed you. But we’ve been here for hours, and now we’re locked in, and it’s actually kind of starting to freak me out….”

Peeta’s stomach sinks. He should have known. “Oh, Katniss,” he says, pulling her into a hug. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

She shrugs helplessly. “I mean, it’s not like we’re in a broom closet or anything.”

“It doesn’t matter. You could have told me you were feeling claustrophobic.”

“It’s these damn stacks,” she mutters. “I’m convinced someone will turn one of those cranks and crush us between two shelves like Han and Leia in Star Wars.”

He chuckles at the reference, hugging her tighter. “Which one of us is Han?”

“Obviously me,” she replies, her voice muffled by his chest. “You have much nicer hair than I do.”

Peeta laughs a bit louder at this, and his voice bounds down the corridor. “You don’t have to worry,” he says, daring to plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll protect you. Always.”

Katniss tilts her head up to face him. Peeta expects her to issue some kind of witty rejoinder, but she doesn’t say a word. She just looks at him, her expression laced with a kind of vulnerability she rarely lets anyone else.

The whole thing - Katniss, standing in his arms, looking at him the way she is - it’s almost too much to bear.

 _You are so beautiful_ , he thinks.  _I wish you knew how much I want to kiss you._

“You’re whispering again.”

Peeta breath hitches at the sound of Katniss’ voice. “What?”

There’s no time to panic about how he must have been thinking out loud, because at that moment, the lights go out again.

And that’s when she kisses him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Litlifelover. Prompt: "Please don't make me socialize."

“Please don’t make me socialize. I just can’t.”

Peeta jumps at the sound of Katniss’ voice. “Holy shit!” He turns to see her trying to blend in with the refrigerator. “You scared me! I didn’t even hear you come in.”

“Sorry,” she half-whispers. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. But seriously, please don’t make me go back out there.”

Peeta smiles sympathetically. “You know I’d be out there if I could, but I still have this turkey to take care of,” he says, gesturing to the obscenely large bird resting on the counter. “Come on, Katniss. It’s Thanksgiving. It’s our house. One of us has to be out there and play host.”

“It’s Canadian Thanksgiving,” she corrects him. “Mine isn’t for another month and a half.”

“Yeah well, should have thought of that before you agreed to move here,” he jokes. He tugs her into his side for a hug. “Seriously, though. What’s the matter?”

“It’s just weird. It’s like meeting them for the first time, only worse. Everyone has all these questions. And the staring. I can’t handle the staring. Especially coming from your mother.”

Peeta smirks. “She’s just amazed that I managed to snag a woman as incredibly intelligent and beautiful as you.”

Katniss rolls her eyes. “More like she’s concerned about how the family photos are going to look. I’m the only one in your entire family who doesn’t have blond hair and blue eyes. Even your in-laws match!”

Peeta peers curiously at his wife, who has shrugged out from under his arm and is now busying herself with ladling cranberry sauce into a dish, in a blatant effort to avoid going back into the living room. He stills her hand with his. “Look, I know it isn’t easy. I mean, it’s one thing to visit with me, but another to live here. I get that. But we have to be patient with them, too,” he reasons. “Even my mom. She’s still adjusting to the fact that I’m back, never mind being married.”

“It’s not like you didn’t tell them about us while you were gone,” she argues back. “It’s their fault for not attending the wedding.”

He sighs. “She doesn’t think it counts since we didn’t get married in a church,” he admits.

Katniss fixes him with a glare. “You realize that none of this is making me want to go back out there. Next thing I know, you’ll be telling me she thinks I married you just so that I could get a visa.”

“I mean, that’s not entirely inaccurate,” he notes in an effort to lighten the mood. “You know as well as I do how much of a shitshow it is down there.”

Scowling, she bumps his arm with hers. “You’re not helping.”

Peeta looks at her, all traces of joking gone. “Katniss, I love you. And I would have wanted us to get married anyway, even if I didn’t have to move back here.”

“I know,” she replies with a sigh. “I would, too. I’m just, I dunno, used to having you all to myself, I guess. It’s a big adjustment.”

Peeta nods in understanding. “I get what you mean. But we still have to try. And anyway, to be honest, I wouldn’t worry about having to share me with the rest of my family. I only really see them at Thanksgiving-”

“-Canadian thanksgiving-”

“-At Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. I barely see them the rest of the time. So even if it’s awkward, you’ll only have to deal with them a few times a year.”

Katniss shakes her head, skeptical. “I don’t know. I mean, I feel like your mom already hates me.”

“Well, she’s just going to have to deal,” Peeta says resolutely. “Because if she or anyone else tries to make me choose, I’m gonna choose you. Every time.”

Katniss leans in and gives him a kiss. She cups the side of his face with one hand, looking at him intently. “I’m glad you feel that way,” she murmurs. Her voice is almost a whisper when she adds, “Especially since you’re not choosing just me anymore.”

Peeta’s eyes widen. His gaze travels to his wife’s belly and back up again. “Wait. Are you saying…?”

She nods, placing a finger over her lips to remind him that someone might overhear. “Yeah. If I’m doing the math right, he or she will be arriving the spring.”

Peeta is silent as he processes this news, shock still painted on his face. Katniss looks at him uncertainly. “I know we talked about waiting until we were fully settled and I had a job and everything, but…is this okay?”

A grin slowly overtakes Peeta’s face, even as tears form in his eyes. “Are you kidding?” He scoops her up, briefly spinning them around in their small kitchen. Katniss lets out a watery laugh.

Peeta gently sets his wife back down. “Oh my god,” he whispers, sweeping a tear off her cheek with his thumb. “I’m so happy. You’ve made me so happy. Thank you. This is the best Thanksgiving ever.”

A voice calls out from beyond the kitchen, interrupting the moment. “Peeta? Do you two need any help in there?”

Peeta and Katniss freeze. “No, Mom! We’re good,” he yells back.

The two look at each other for a few seconds before dissolving into laughter. Reluctantly, they break from their embrace. “I should finish carving this turkey so we can get dinner going,” Peeta says. “The sooner they leave, the sooner we can celebrate.”

Katniss smooths out the front of her dress, her hand lingering over her stomach. “I like this plan. But are you still going to make me go back out there?” she asks hopefully.

Peeta doesn’t miss a beat. “Absolutely,” he replies with a wink.

Katniss pouts. “Okay, fine. But no pregnancy announcements tonight, okay? The last thing I need is your mother thinking I’m having an anchor baby.”

Peeta laughs, drawing her in for one last kiss. “Deal.”


	8. Flower Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for ellembee. Inspired by actual events (http://andthisisthewonder.tumblr.com/post/166593130955/fully-grown-flower-man-his-3-fanny-packs)

Katniss fiddled with the light meter as she waited for the ceremony to get started. The sun was just starting to set, and she knew the streaks of orange and red would shine beautifully in the background as the couple said their vows. It would be perfect.

It wasn’t just that Katniss was a perfectionist; she wanted them to be perfect for Annie. After all, it wasn’t every day that your childhood friend got married.

Besides, it was the least she could do to make up for turning down an offer to be in the wedding party. Although Annie had asked time and again, Katniss had remained steadfast in assuring her friend that she far preferred to partake in the festivities from behind the lens of her camera. Only the suggestion of providing her photography services as a wedding gift seemed to sway Annie’s opinion.

But really, this was the best option. Putting her skills to use was a much better way of sharing in their joy than putting on an expensive dress that she’d never wear again and walk down the aisle with one of Finnick’s fraternity brothers. Not that she had anything against Finnick, but a cursory glance at the groomsmen only seemed to confirm her suspicions.

The music began. She signalled to Rue, who had been floating about the church getting coverage of the congregation. Satisfied that her assistant was in position, Katniss sprang into action. She crossed off items on her mental checklist with every click.

Groom? Check.

Parents of the groom? Check.

Mother of the bride? Check.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen? Check and check.

Flower girl? Che- 

Wait.

Katniss quirked a brow in confusion at the sight of tuxedo-clad blond standing at the top of the aisle, preparing to march with the rest of the wedding party. Unlike the others in the wedding party, however, he was alone.

And wearing three fanny packs.

Digging out her program, Katniss scanned the page to see who was listed under Flower Girl. Curiously, instead of Flower Girl, the wedding party had a “Flower Person.”

And apparently, that Flower Person was a man named Peeta Mellark.

“Oh my god,” Katniss said to herself in shock. “Don’t tell me he’s the flower girl.”

“He sure is.”

Katniss reddened, realizing the groom had heard her. 

“He wanted to be in the wedding party, but  _someone_  on Annie’s side said no, and we didn’t have enough bridesmaids,” Finnick whispered teasingly, causing Katniss’ blush to deepen. “So we made a compromise. But I think you’ll find he’s really embraced the role,” he added, nodding in his friend’s direction.

Katniss turned around just in time to see Peeta jam his hand into one of the fanny packs and pull out a fistful of leaves, which he dramatically scattered at his feet, prompting laughter and a few cheers from the other wedding guests. Eyes twinkling, he slowly made his way down the aisle, grabbing handfuls of leaves and letting them dance in the air as they fluttered to the ground. Every few steps he tried something different - throwing leaves over his shoulder, offering a maple leaf to Annie’s Aunt Mags, even blowing leaf kisses - all to incredible effect.

The crowd loved it, and it wasn’t long before Katniss found herself capturing every moment with a grin of her own.

Finally, Peeta made it to the end of the aisle. In one final flourish, he cast two handfuls of leaves into the air with a twirl before ambling toward his seat as if nothing had happened…but not before casting a glance at Katniss and giving her a little wink. 

Cheeky bastard.

Katniss blushed behind her camera. Just as quickly, however, she snapped back into focus. She really didn’t have time to dwell on the gesture; Annie was about to walk down the aisle, and she had to concentrate.

But one thing was for certain: she and Mrs. Odair would definitely be having words at the reception.


	9. Piroulines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for foreversillythings (THG Secret Santa). First time writing Gadge!

Gale paused at the threshold of the Undersee home, his one hand ready to knock on the door while his other held a tin of piroulines behind his back. The sounds of “Silent Night” being played on the piano filtered through the front door. Well, at least he knew she was home.

“This isn’t going to work,” he muttered to himself. Not that it mattered. If he went home and Katniss found out he hadn’t at least tried to apologize, she’d probably skin him alive.

But seeing as Katniss hadn’t stipulated that said apology had to be made in person, he was not above leaving the peace offering on the doorstep and running off. Still, he wondered if doing that would make things better or worse.

The door flew open, depriving him of the chance to dash away. Gale instinctively lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the bright light cast on the front stoop from the entryway.

“Gale? What are you doing here?”

Taking a breath, Gale slowly lowered his arm. Time to face the music. “Hi Madge,” he greeted gruffly. “I, um, I came to say sorry.”

Madge crossed her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at him. “Sorry for what?” she demanded.

“You know what.”

“I have an idea,” she countered, “but seeing as you jumping to conclusions seems to be the reason we are having this conversation in the first place, I think it would be much better if you spelled it out for me.”

Gale sighed. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but it didn’t mean he relished the opportunity to elaborate on all the ways he had screwed up in the past week. “I’m sorry that I more or less accused Peeta of cheating on Katniss with you. I’m sorry that when I saw you two in that jewelry store together, I assumed he was buying something for you instead of picking out a ring for her. I’m sorry I punched him- actually, I’m not really all that sorry about that, the guy’s been a pain in my ass for years- but it wasn’t fair of me to bring you into this, because you’re actually pretty awesome and you’ve been a good friend to Katniss, and to basically accuse you of betraying her, too, was a dick move and totally uncalled for, and I’m sorry.”

“It was a dick move,” Madge agreed, her arms still crossed.

Gale chuckled in spite of himself. Of course that’s the part she’d latch on to. “In my defense,” he argued, “I didn’t realize it was you. I only saw him with some blonde-”

“-Some blonde?”

“Yeah. At first I thought it might be you, but you had some winter hat on, and it wasn’t the blue one with the puff-thingy on top that you usually wear. And the coat, it was different. And I couldn’t see your face.”

Madge shook her head, unconvinced. “But when Peeta told you he was with me, you didn’t back down. In fact, it’s like you got madder. You want to explain that part?”

Caught, Gale looked down at his boots. Truth was, he still couldn’t explain how his rage had taken on a layer of hurt at the thought that she was somehow involved in whatever paranoid anger dream he had whipped up in the middle of Panem Mills Mall on the busiest shopping day of the year.

He blamed the stress of the holiday season, but mostly he blamed himself.

“I don’t really have a good explanation,” he admitted. “I just saw red, and I didn’t think. But I really am sorry I hurt you.” He pulled out the tin of cookies from behind his back and presented it to her. “Here. I know it’s not much, but I hope you’ll accept them. You know…token of my apology.”

She took the box from him, and he tried to ignore the little spark he felt when her fingers grazed his hand. “Piroulines,” she said softly. “These are my favorite.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Madge looked up in surprise. A beat of silence passed, but the conversation seemed to continue in the brief staring contest that took place between them.

The most important words were left unsaid, but it would do for now.

When she finally spoke, there was a hint of a smile in her rebuke. “You know you almost ruined Christmas.”

“I know.”

“And you totally fucked up Peeta’s proposal plans.”

“Well, seeing as they’re now engaged, I don’t exactly see the problem,” he deadpanned.

She laughed lightly, the sound warmed him to the tips of his toes. He allowed himself the luxury of noting how beautiful she was, down to the reindeer socks she was wearing.

A voice called out, breaking the moment. “Madge? I feel a draft. Is there a door open?”

Madge looked guiltily back into her house. “Sorry, Mom,” she called. “That’s me. I’ll take care of it.”

Gale started to back away. He knew he had stayed too long. Of course she’d want to get back to her family. “I guess I’ll be-”

“Would you like to come in?” she interjected.

Now it was Gale’s turn to look surprised. “Really?”

Madge smirked. “Well, yeah. I mean, you must be freezing. You’ve been standing out in the cold for a while now. And anyway, I need someone to help me with these,” she added, shaking the tin of cookies in the air.

He hesitated. “Does that mean that you…”

“Forgive you? Not quite,” she replied truthfully. “But I think maybe, if you and I could sit down and talk a bit more, I could get there. And maybe…” Madge left her last statement unfinished, but Gale was smart enough to fill in the blanks. At least, he hoped he was. God, he hoped he was.

Madge stepped backwards, motioning for him to cross the threshold.

Gale took a step inside, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I think I’d I like that.”


	10. Three times Peeta left District 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for gentlemama (THG secret snowflake). Canon-compliant.

The first time Peeta left, tear tracks lined his faced as he stepped aboard the train. It was all still hitting him: he'd been Reaped. No one had volunteered. Correction - Katniss Everdeen had volunteered. And no one, least of all him, thought he'd be coming back.

But if he was going to die, he wanted to go as him. If he wasn't going to make it, at least he could try to help Katniss.

He needed to talk to Haymitch.

\---

The second time Peeta left, he kept his features schooled into a look of resolve. He had had this planned for months: train hard. Volunteer as Tribute. Bring Katniss home.

He knew he wasn't coming back. Which is why it made it even harder when they couldn't say goodbye.

"We'll write letters," he had told her, but he knew they wouldn't. Not him, anyway. There was nothing left to say.

\---

The third time Peeta left, it was raining. It stuck him suddenly that for the first time, he'd be getting on a train to the Capitol and Katniss wouldn't be with him. After all, it was only supposed to be a quick trip to get fitted with a new prosthetic, and her travel restrictions hadn't been lifted yet.

Despite her absence, this journey filled him with promise rather than dread. This time, he wasn't marching to his doom. He'd be back within a week.

"I'll see you soon - real or not real?" He asked.

Katniss gave him a kiss. "Real."


End file.
